Magid Magid AKA Lord Mayor of Sheffield

‘I wanted to make the Lord Mayor role more meaningful. My first intention was to spread positive messages and champion what is good about Sheffield.’

Magid Magid AKA the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, has created a storm in Sheffield and beyond. The 29-year old is the youngest Mayor the city has seen. Aiming to bring creativity to the role to connect people on an emotional level.

Born in northern Somalia, Magid came to Britain as a child refugee in 1994. He grew up in Burngreave, Sheffield, and studied Aquatic Zoology at the University of Hull where he first got into politics, getting elected president of Hull University Union.

‘I didn’t know the difference between left and right but I knew I cared about certain issues.’

He was elected as a Green Party councillor on Sheffield City Council in 2016. In 2018, he was chosen by the council to serve the one-year term as Lord Mayor. His inauguration photo, featuring ‘that squat’ went viral online and Magid’s now famous Doc Marten’s and yellow cap have appeared in newspapers and timelines around the world.

‘I wanted to engage people on an emotional level.’

Magid hasn’t stopped since his inauguration (which happened to feature Imperial March from Star Wars) in May 2018.

‘One of the ways I’ve tried to do things is really try and merge a political message or statement in a fun way, with an undertone of a serious message behind it… I’ve realised it works’.

Lord Mayor Magid’s intentions remain clear:

‘I don’t sit on the fence… It’s always better to say this is who I am. This is what I stand for. This is the message I want to get out. In political roles, people appreciate the courage.’